Northeast Hs Comes To The Aid Of Booster

SIDELINES

Let me answer this week's first "Q" and tell you about a community of caring people.

Isn't it heartwarming the way the Northeast High School community has rallied together to come to the aid of their own Judy Marsh?

For those of you who don't know, the 49-year-old Marsh has cancer and needs a bone marrow transplant. Her medical insurance was to take care of the operation scheduled at Duke University Medical Center in Durham, N.C., but she soon learned she has to come up with the $94,000 on her own.

Blue Cross/Blue Shield said her insurance did not cover "experimental" procedures and turned her down.

The community is feverishly trying to raise the money for this woman, who, with her husband, Rolland, has given nearly 20 years of volunteer time to the high school through active involvement in the Northeast Eagles Boosters Club.

Athletic director Bob Grimm and Northeast supporter Paul Zimmerman have set up a benefit basketball doubleheader for this Saturday at the Pasadena school.

"Rolland was president of our Boosters Club and coached in the Lake Shore youth program and Judy was secretary of our Boosters Club," said Grimm. "We are doing whatever we can to help these two wonderful people who have done so much for our program over the years."

Former players from Northeast and Chesapeake high schools, including Ziz Abdur-Ra'oof and Steve Monson, are returning to play in an alumni game.

The Eagles and Cougars will play at 6 p.m. followed by a team of local celebrities vs. the WBAL-TV All-Stars, including the gregarious Channel 11 anchor Rod Daniels, at 7:15 p.m.

Donation is only $3 per fan and all the proceeds go to the more than worthwhile Judy Marsh Cancer Treatment Fund.

Abdur-Ra'oof was named The Anne Arundel County Sun Male Athlete of the Decade this past January after starring in football, basketball and track at Northeast. Ziz went on to become the University of Maryland's all-time leading pass receiver and had a brief tryout with the Kansas City Chiefs in the NFL.

Monson, who was a member of The Anne Arundel County Sun All-Decade Baseball Team after a spectacular career at Chesapeake in Lake Shore, is pitching in the Milwaukee Brewers farm system.

Ziz and Monson are just two of many former athletes who know the Marsh family and hold them in high esteem for all they did for the kids in the Pasadena-Lake Shore communities.

"We hope the entire community will get out Saturday night to support this cause," said Zimmerman, who can be reached at 255-7637 for further details.

Or you can Grimm at Northeast, 437-6400.

* Have you heard that former DeMatha baseball star Steve Miller, who went on to become a minor-league infielder in the San Francisco Giants and San Diego Padres organizations, has been named head baseball coach at Archbishop Spalding High in Severn?

Why didn't Spalding athletic director Domenic Pachence make a public announcement after naming Miller, who is a Hyattsville native?

* When is the county youth cheerleaders organization going to work something out with the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis to conduct its annual competition at Navy's Halsey Field House?

This past Sunday the cheerleading competition drew an overflow crowd at Anne Arundel Community College with many disappointed parents turned away.

One concerned dad of a cheerleader called the 24-Hour Sportsline, 647-2499, to voice his displeasure with a near fight breaking out in the lobby because one man was denied admittance.

"The thing has gotten completely out of hand, and they've got to move it," said the dad. "Halsey Field House at the academy is the only place that can hold it."

Why didn't the girls from PAL, the Annapolis Crusaders, Annapolis All Stars and Fort Meade participate in this year's supposed countywide cheerleading competition?

* Wasn't that absolutely ridiculous and inconsiderate of the Severna Park High Marching Band to stay on the field after the Annapolis band had performed, dragging the halftime break to 33 minutes in Friday night's Annapolis at Severna Park football game?

With the threat of inclement weather looming wasn't it unfair to the majority of football fans (not band fans) who paid their way in to have to sit through 33 minutes of marching bands, then endure the rain that started to fall in the final period?

The rain came at a time when the game normally would have been over.

* Who are those guys from North County High who keep calling the 24-Hour Sportsline to tell me that the Knights are better than unbeaten county champion Severna Park (7-0)? Are they serious?

No question that North County had a great season for a first-year school at 8-2, but it played primarily a 3A schedule and might have lost eight games had it played among the big boys in Severna Park, Old Mill, Annapolis, Glen Burnie, Arundel, Meade, Broadneck and Chesapeake?

Do you agree with me that North County with its hard-earned 6-3 win over Meade (1-9) might have won one other 4A game in Chesapeake (1-9)?